ANKARA (CIHAN) - Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül on Wednesday received the visiting Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Ankara.
The two men focused mainly on Turkey`s role in the Middle East peace process during their meeting. Bilateral relations and recent developments in Middle East also dominated the talks.
The Israeli Deputy Prime Minister said his country deemed Turkey to be a powerful force in political developments in the Middle East. "Turkey has an important influence over the countries in the region which could promote instability in the Middle East. Turkey will play an important role in political developments in the Middle East and will be a great power in the region."
Olmert said that he had brought a message from the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to be conveyed to the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan. However, Olmert did not reveal the contents of the message.
Turkish-Israeli relations have been tense for the last two years because of Israel`s treatment of the Palestinian people and allegations that the Israeli army is training Kurdish peshmergas in Northern Iraq.
The Israeli Deputy Prime Minister said that he had submitted the Israeli army withdrawal plan for the Gazza Strip to the Turkish Foreign Minister.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül on the other hand said that he had expressed Turkey`s views on the Middle East peace process to the visiting Israeli leader during the meeting. Gül said that Turkey was willing to contribute to the Middle East peace process.
Turkey has previously expressed its readiness to mediate between Syria and Israel for the resumption of peace talks. However, it also subsequently accused the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of burying Turkish offers to mediate between Israel and the Palestinians with his policy of assassinating Hamas leaders.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül said that the meeting with the Israeli Deputy Prime Minister had enabled both of them to review relations between the two countries.
"Sustainable peace in the Middle East should be provided immediately. Turkey is ready to do its best, " Gül said. The Turkish Foreign Minister reiterated Turkey`s readiness to mediate with a view to finding a solution to the Middle East conflict.
Abdullah Gül said that the simultaneous visits to Turkey of Syrian Prime Minister Muhammed Naci Otri and Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was just a coincidence.
The thaw in relations between Turkey and Syria coincides with the increasing strain in the ties between Israel and Turkey. The Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan welcomed the Syrian Prime Minister while he refused to receive Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.